Mars Area School District Rolling Out School Bus Tracking App
MARS, Pa. (KDKA) - A new app is coming to parents in the Mars Area School District. It'll let them track the bus their kids are on, letting them know if the bus is late for pick up or if there are any changes to the route.
The Stopfinder app is a first of its kind being used in the area. School leaders want it to be a new safety and comfort tool for parents as they send their kids off to school every day.
Parents will be able to log in, register, then track the specific bus their student rides to and from school each day. If a bus is late or early to a stop or if the route has changed, parents will get a push notification on their phone.
John Kennedy, the president of the Mars Area School District board, says the area also has a major road project happening soon and the app will ease parents' minds and make transportation easier.
"With the big expansion of the 228 project coming in 2023 directly in front of our district, there's going to be a lot of change in traffic patterns. There's going to be a lot of change in which way the buses can and can't go. I feel like this is the right time to get on this and make it so parents can have that knowledge where the bus is at when it comes to traffic patterns after the project comes through," he said.
The app is hopefully only a month away from a full rollout. After the trial period and test run, the school district says they hope to have it available to parents in January.